As we come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, He beckons us to follow Him. Our journey of life can be compared to Abraham’s calling when God said:
The Lord had said to Abram, ‘Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.’ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Harran. (Genesis 12:1-4)
After we believe in the Lord as our Savior and begin the journey, we may come to a place where we feel as though the calling of God to great adventures has faded. We may have experienced great and mighty works with Him flowing through us or trusted Him with awesome faith for decisions in our lives, but what if we find ourselves at a place that seems like we are lost in the wilderness wrestling with no apparent purpose for our lives.
Did we mishear God? Is His call no longer on our lives? Did we complete what He had us do and now we are just wandering in the dessert with no purpose? No to all, for God’s call on our lives is without repentance and irrevocable. Even at 75 years old the Lord called Abraham to a new adventure, one that would change the course of human history forever, so it does not matter our age in earth years, but that our hearts say “yes” to the One who calls us to dwell with Him.
How do we re-find our footing on our journey if we seem to be misplaced? In stillness before Him, in waiting upon Him, in dwelling with Him as friend with friend in deep communion and momently fellowship. This is how the journey is to be. Madam Guyon was a Christian mystic who lived in the late 1600s to early 1700s in France. Her writings display a life of fellowship with Jesus Christ. In her book, “A Short Method of Prayer” Guyon provides an analogy of the importance of waiting upon the Lord and stilling our hearts before Him throughout the journey:
Water causes death to two persons in very different ways. One dies of thirst, another is drowned; the one dies from want, the other from abundance. So here it is abundance which causes the cessation of natural operation. It is therefore important in this degree to remain a s much as possible in stillness.
When we find we are always too “busy” to behold Him and still our hearts before Him, we soon come to the end of our strength and feel purposeless. Our efforts can feel futile and our strength sapped. Oh, but as we cast our cares upon Him and let go of all we thought the journey would be and just dwell right where He wants us as He wants us, our strength is refreshed and our youth is renewed as the eagle’s. Here, in stillness before Him, we can soar on the heights with Him. The journey is no longer tedious, but exciting. Our hearts are no longer ravaged by time, but refreshed like a tree planted by flowing waters. Let us not mistake waiting upon the Lord for idleness, for it is when we drink deeply of Him each day of this journey that we will find our purpose is fresh and green and fruitful.
You are not idle when you wait upon Me. When I bid you to wait and draw near unto Me and change not your path but walk the way that I have called you this is not idleness or lack of ambition, but of one soul offering up its panicky grappling for prestige and feverish pursuits for satisfaction in what man calls success. Oh love, I have not brought you hear to leave you idle. I have not brought you hear to no longer lead you on. I am teaching you a deeper way to walk with Me. Even if your borders seem to have narrowed, be not fearful, be not disheartened, be not discouraged for I Am with you. I will show you the way to take.
There will be times in our walk together throughout your lifetime that I will say stand here or walk there. Yours is only to follow My voice and walk with Me into each path though it seems lonely and desolate or even fruitful and abundant. Let not the look of the path saw your heart, for I will provide, I will give you satisfaction with the work of your hands for you do all with Me and unto Me. I am your strength and your very great reward. Focus on this, not on how man views your path or what it looks like from the outside. For I work in the inner places and the outside often looks one way when I am positioning you for another. Man can only see in the natural but I say to thee, come up her and see your path from My viewpoint.
I am positioning you for the greater works than these, for more than you’ve seen or experiences of the past, are you willing to let Me do this? Be not fearful of the way, be not fearful of the jaunts and jeers of man, be not even fearful of seeming humiliation for is it not just your own pride that embarrasses you at your low estate. When your heart and soul, and mind, and strength are set upon Me then nothing done unto you from the outside will affect you or move your peace, but your heart will rejoice in any state.
Fear not when I say, come away My love, I have need of you elsewhere and be not anxious when I say I am bringing you to a new land I will show you. Neither fear or dread the letting go or the embracing. Accept all with complete trust of heat in Me.
Psalm 73:21-26
“When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you. Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”